spy!
by yogam65
Summary: Max is arrested in a foreign country. 99 goes to save him before they execute him for being a spy.


PART 1

99 rushed into the Chief's office after getting an

urgent message from him that he wanted to see her.

"Yes Chief, what's up?", 99 asked, instinctively.

"Please sit down 99, I have something to tell you."

The Chief was not very good at hiding his emotions and

99 sensed immediately that the news he had to tell her

was not good. 

"It's Max isn't it? What's happened to him?" 99 rushed

to ask.

The Chief knew that he couldn't hide anything from her

and decided to be upfront with the situation.

"Don't worry, Max is ok but he has been arrested and

charged with spying against the Country of Montania".

99 let out a sigh of relief. She knew that the news

was not good, but at least Max was alive.

"I don't understand, Chief. Max was sent there as a

consultant for a new secret service branch that the

government was creating."

"Yes, the government did ask for our help, but it seems

there is a group that plotted to overthrow the

government with this new service we were helping them

develop. The military caught wind of it and they

arrested 7 people they believe are the ringleaders.

Unfortunately, Max was meeting with this group when

the arrests were made. Now the military believes he is

part of that group."

99 bolted out of the chair and reached for the phone.

"We've got to get him out, Chief. I'll catch the next

plane ..."

"Wait 99...", the Chief grabbed the phone out of 99's

hand. "You can't just rush into that country and 'get

him out'. We're talking about a small country and

their foreign protocol is something we know little

about. We don't want to risk any chance of this

blowing up in our face, and getting Max convicted of

espionage."

"But Chief, you know the penalty for spying in most

countries, if they find him guilty ..." 99 started to

think about the consequences. "We can't wait!"

"We're doing everything we can to contact the

government, but it's a sticky situation there. With the

coup in effect, all communications are monitored by

the military."

"I can't just sit around waiting, Chief. There must be

some way for us to get to him", 99 said with some

urgency.

"Well, there is one way. We can send you there as Mrs.

Maxwell Smart, not Agent 99. They wouldn't deny a wife

of seeing her husband under these circumstances. Your

true identity of being a CONTROL agent cannot be

revealed or you'll risk being arrested, too."

"I'm willing to take that chance to save Max", 99 pledged.

"99, if it were any other agent, I'd say no. But, you're 

one of our best, and Max is your husband, so we'll

arrange for you to fly there and have an audience with

Prince Devoreau. The president will send a sworn affidavit with you to present in Max's defense. It should clear Max of any wrongdoing the military might think he's

involved with." 

PART 2

In a small, dark and dank cell on the military post,

Max sat alone, waiting for some word of his fate. He

wondered if the chief was notified of his predicament,

and when he would be able to contact him. He

especially wondered how 99 would be taking the news.

He was in good shape, considering the interrogations he

was put through. Just tired from lack of sleep and not

much food. The captain of the guards came through the

steel door of his holding area and approached him. 

"Mr. Smart?" Max stood up from his cot and walked over

to the bars. "Colonel Landau will be taking up your

case in the morning."

"Has my government been informed of my arrest?"

"Yes."

Max waited for more of an answer, but none was forthcoming.

"And is there anything else?" Max asked, eagerly.

"They have been informed," Captain Antoine said in a

monotone voice as he turned and left.

Max was relieved. At least the gears were in motion to

get him released. But when?

The next morning Max awoke with a start from the

outside steel door opening suddenly. The Captain

arrived with two armed soldiers. The cell was opened

and they stepped in.

"Hands behind your back please", the Captain commanded.

"What for?", Max quickly asked.

The Captain didn't wait for Max to decide if he was

going to obey his order. He nodded to one of the

soldiers who roughly turned Max around and grabbed his

arms to cuff his wrists together behind him.

"Is this necessary?" Max winced as the cuffs were

clamped on tightly. "I'm not planning to escape."

The Captain didn't respond and lead Max out of the

cell and down a corridor. 

Max was taken inside a room where high ranking

Military officers were seated in front of a long table. The

officer in the middle seemed to be handling the

hearing. He flipped through a folder of paperwork,

studying each paper carefully. Max waited for the

officer to speak first, not wanting to risk saying

something that could incriminate him. The officer put

the folder down and addressed Max.

"Maxwell Smart, you have been charged with espionage

against the country of Montania. How do you plead?"

Max stepped forward. "How do I plead? I haven't done

anything. I was sent here by your government to be

a..."

"How do you plead?" the officer sternly asked again.

"I want to see a lawyer. I know my rights. You just

can't..."

The officer nodded to the soldier next to Max as the

soldier took the butt end of his gun and slammed it

into Max's side. The hit knocked the wind out of him

as he doubled over in pain. The soldier straightened

him back up.

"For the last time, Mr. Smart, how do you plead?"

Max looked at the board of officers waiting

impatiently for him to answer. 

"Not guilty", Max whispered hoarsely.

"The plea of 'not guilty' has been duly noted from the

prisoner. Mr. Smart, this court will examine your case

and the evidence against you and make its decision

tomorrow."

"What kind of decision?", Max quivered.

Before Max could say anything more, he was hustled out

of the courtroom and back to his cell. He sat down on his cot 

and instinctively reached into his pocket for a cigarette. 

Not finding any, he began to pace from one end of the cell to the 

other.

He wondered if the Chief was going to get him out of here

before "a decision" was reached. What if the Chief

couldn't get him out and they convicted him of spying?

He could be sentenced to life in jail in a country he

knew little about. Or maybe worse, they could shoot

him as a spy. The more Max thought about it the more

nervous he became.

The outside door opened, and Captain Antoine stepped in. 

"Mr. Smart, you have a visitor." 99 appeared from

behind the captain and rushed to the cell. "Max!"

"99!" Max couldn't believe his eyes and pressed his

body against the bars in an effort to reach her.

"Please let my wife come into the cell", Max pleaded to

the captain.

"Sorry, I cannot permit that."

Max was frustrated but it didn't matter. He was

thrilled to see 99.

"99, I've gotten myself into quite a situation", Max

said as he looked at his accommodations.

Softly stroking his face, 99 said, "Oh Max, I am so

glad you're alright. I've worried so much about you.

Poor Max, look at you."

Max looked a bit disheveled, not having shaved or

showered in days. But it didn't matter now. He felt

better that 99 was there.

Max looked over to the Captain, "Could we have a

moment?" 

The Captain left Max and 99 alone.

"Oh 99, I can't believe you're here. How did you

arrange it?"

"With the country under military rule, the only way

they permitted me to see you was to come as your wife. I

cannot reveal my identity as an agent."

"I understand, 99, but you need to do something quick. 

The military court is deciding my fate by tomorrow."

"Don't worry, Max. I have an audience with the Prince

in the morning. I have a signed affidavit from the

President of your innocence. Our government is too

important to this country to let something like this

happen."

"I hope you're right, 99, or you might be taking me home

in a pine box."

"Max don't say that!" 99 didn't want to hear such talk

from Max. Just the thought of something happening to

him gave her an uneasy feeling.

"Try to get some rest, Max. I'll be back in the morning

and get you released."

Max brought his face up to the bars as 99 leaned in

and kissed him gently. As 99 walked out, Max stood 

alone, knowing it was going to be a long and lonely night.

PART 3

Later that evening, Colonel Landau called Captain

Antoine into his office. Standing at attention, the

captain announced his arrival. "Yes sir, you sent for

me?"

The Colonel was checking over his paperwork for the

day. Without looking up the Colonel replied casually,

"Yes, the court has found all the prisoners guilty."

"Yes sir. Even the American, Mr. Smart?"

"Yes, Captain, ... even Mr. Smart. The United States has

wanted to gain control of our great sea port. It all fits

together. The US sends an agent to help create a new

secret service, then those involved overthrow the

government, giving the US access to our port. But, we have

crushed their plot and now they must pay the

consequences," the colonel said proudly.

"Begging the Colonel's pardon, you should know that

Smart's wife is seeing Prince Devoreau in the morning.

Seems she has evidence that proves Mr. Smart was in no

way aware or involved in the plot."

"Captain, we have examined all the evidence against

Smart. The court has come to a conclusive decision of

his involvement. Since we will not tolerate any such

attempts to disrupt the sanctity of our country's prosperity.

The penalty for these crimes against the state is death by

firing squad, to be carried out tomorrow morning.

Unless his wife can show me proof and a stay of

execution from the Prince, Mr. Smart will be executed

tomorrow as scheduled. You are dismissed."

Captain Antoine saluted and turned to leave.

Max stared out into the courtyard from his cell,

wondering what 99 was doing tonight, wishing he were

with her. Captain Antoine came through the door

looking very solemn. His expression made Max uneasy.

"What's wrong? Is my wife ok?" Max asked desperately.

"You're wife is fine."

Max breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'm here to inform you ...you've been found guilty of

spying against our country."

Max's face dropped as he rushed to the bars, "What

about a trial? How can they come to that conclusion

without a fair jury trial?"

"There is no jury trial. It was decided by a military

court."

"More like a Kangaroo Court. And with this decision

brings what kind of penalty?" 

"Execution by firing squad ...tomorrow."

Max's eyes grew wide and his voice got desperate.

"Executed? Tomorrow?" Max began to sweat and panic.

"This isn't right! What kind of justice is this? My

government won't stand for this, you know. My wife is

scheduled to get that reprieve in the morning and what

if she doesn't get back in time? Can't you do something?"

"I'm sorry, I'm under orders. Let's hope she gets back

in time."

Max was in dismay. "Please, you've got to get word to

my wife about this."

"It's curfew. No one can leave the post."

"Then make a phone call," Max pleaded.

The Captain shook his head.

"Please, you're my only chance to prove my innocence

and save my life," Max begged.

Captain Antoine could see the desperation in Max's face.

He wanted to be fair, since he felt the Colonel and the

officers came to a rushed decision of his guilt.

Captain Antoine sighed, "I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you." Max looked at his watch. "What time

tomorrow?"

"Noon. I've scheduled you to be last. That will give

you more time."

Max wiped the sweat from his brow. "She's just gotta

make it back in time."

Max looked at the Captain. "I'm innocent. You have to

believe me!"

Captain Antoine gave no indication whether to believe

Max or not. He had his orders, and was expected to

carry them out under the command of his Colonel.

The morning sun peaked through the bars of Max's cell

as he lay on his cot staring up to the ceiling. He

wondered if 99 would make it back before noon. If

there was ever a time that he felt helpless, now was

the time. 

The Captain entered the room and addressed Max,

"We informed your wife of the situation and she is

en route to the palace."

Max breathed a little easier but was still on edge.

Again Max looked at this watch, 7am. He began to pace

nervously.

"I sent one of my soldiers to accompany her so she

doesn't run into any roadblocks."

Max smiled at the Captain, "Thank you. I owe you one."

Captain Antoine nodded and left. One of the soldiers

stopped the Captain as he walked down the corridor. 

"Sir? Colonel Landau would like to see you," the

soldier said, at attention.

The Captain knocked on the Colonel's door. "Enter,"

came a voice from inside.

Captain Antoine saluted, "You sent for me, Sir?"

The Colonel was straightening his tie in the mirror.

"Have the prisoners been informed?"

"Yes, sir."

"Has the squad been assembled?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good." The Colonel sensed a problem from the Captain.

"Is there a problem, Captain?"

"Colonel's permission to speak frankly, sir?"

"Permission granted," the Colonel said, eyeing him

carefully.

"It's about the American, Mr. Smart."

"What about him?," the colonel said, as he slipped into

his uniform coat.

"I think we have the wrong man, sir."

Colonel Landau finished brushing the lint off his coat

and walked up to the Captain. "You are not here to

think, Captain. You are here to carry out orders."

"But Colonel, Mr. Smart's wife is seeing the Prince

this morning. Shouldn't we wait to see if she comes

back with a stay?"

"Even if she did, why would you think I'd honor it?

Because he's the Prince?" Captain Antoine couldn't

believe that the Colonel went back on his decision to

give Mr. Smart a chance to clear himself. The Colonel

looked out his window. "I've never trusted the Prince

in the first place. If I didn't know better, I'd say he

was involved in this plot, too. Anyway, I don't tell

him how to do his job, and he shouldn't tell me how to do mine."

"So, even if Mrs. Smart comes back with a stay of

execution, you won't honor it?" Captain Antoine asked

flatly.

Colonel Landau turned and placed his hands on his desk,

leaning forward looking the Captain straight in the

eye. "Captain, Mr. Smart was found guilty of spying.

You know the penalty for spying. Now I don't want to

hear any more about it. You have your orders. Carry

them out or I shall have you court-martialed. Understood?"

Captain Antoine knew the Colonel was serious, "Yes,

sir. Understood. What do I do about Mrs. Smart, when

she arrives?"

"I'll take care of Mrs. Smart. You just follow your

orders."

The Captain left the office feeling the Colonel was

abusing his newfound power. He made his way back to Max's cell.

Max stood up as he saw the Captain approach.

"I feel I need to tell you the situation facing you,

Mr. Smart."

Max swallowed hard, knowing the news was not good by

the look on his face. "How much worse can it get?"

"Even if your wife got here in time with a stay ...

the colonel refuses to honor it."

The news hit Max like a shot between the eyes.

"That much worse. Then I guess this is it," Max pondered.

"I'm sorry."

"Do you have a cigarette?" Max asked.

The Captain pulled one out from his coat pocket and

passed it to Max. Reaching for it, Max looked at his

hand as it began to shake. His nervousness caused him

to think out loud.

"We were about to celebrate our one year anniversary

next month. I was going to surprise her by buying a

little house. We were planning to have kids soon, and I

didn't want them to be raised in an apartment. My

dream was to have a house and a yard so my kids could

play and be safe." Max took one last drag, dropped

the butt to the floor and put it out with his foot.

"Guess it was just a dream."

Max stood up and walked over to the Captain. Taking

off his watch, Max commented, "Would you give this 

to my wife? She gave it to me when we were married."

Max started to smirk as he looked at the inscription on the back.

"How ironic," Max said as he held it tightly in his hand, then

offered it over to the Captain. Max turned and walked

back to the cell window looking out to the courtyard.

Captain Antoine turned and walked out. Standing in the 

corridor, he turned the watch over to read the inscription on the back:

"To my love, Now that I have you, I'll never let you go."

Part 4

It was ten minutes to twelve and still no sign of 99's

arrival. The outer door to the cell opened and in

walked Captain Antoine, accompanied by a soldier. Max

could see the captain telling one of his men

something, then leaving the captain to enter alone. 

A knock came on the door of the colonel's office. A

private entered standing at attention in front of the

colonel.

"Mrs. Smart is here to see you, sir."

"Send her in."

99 entered with some urgency as she rushed to the

colonel's desk. She laid an official looking document

down in front of him.

"Colonel, this is an official stay of execution from

Prince Devoreau, and an order for the release of my husband."

Colonel Landau looked at the document and studied it

carefully. Setting it down, he turned his attentions to

99.

"What am I to do with this?" the colonel replied,

pointing to the paper.

"You are to release my husband, that's what you're to

do with it", 99 said, glancing over to the clock with 3

minutes to spare.

"Oh?" The colonel took a cigar from a large box on his

table. With a match, he lit his cigar then took the

document and lit the edge of it. The document started

to burn as he placed it down on the metal ashtray.

"The document!", 99 gasped, as she began to reach for it.

"What document?" the colonel asked with a sadistic

smile, as he moved it out of 99's reach.

99's eyes grew with panic. "I don't understand. I was

told you would honor a stay from the Prince."

The colonel took a big drag off his cigar. "Who told

you that?"

"Your Captain Antoine informed me."

"Is that so, Mrs. Smart? ...Or shall I say Agent 99 of

CONTROL?"

99 stood frozen, and shocked that her identity was

exposed.

Colonel Landau stood up and walked over to the big

picture window. Looking out, he could see the entire

courtyard.

"I warned your government not to send another agent,

but they totally disregarded my order. I want your

government to know that I mean business and I want to teach

them a lesson."

"And that's why you're going to execute my husband?"

The clock tower began to chime. The colonel pulled out

his pocket watch and opened it.

"Yes", the colonel said casually. "And you're just in

time to witness it."

99 looked over to see Max being brought outside with two

soldiers in front of him and two behind him. Captain

Antoine followed behind them as they lead Max to a

wooden post in the middle of the courtyard.

A chill coursed down 99's spine. She yelled at the

colonel, "NO! YOU CAN'T DO THIS!!" 99 rushed to the

window, screaming as loud as she could, "MAX, MAX!!!"

There was no response from Max or the captain.

Before 99 could pound on the glass the soldier in the

room grabbed her and held her.

"They can't hear you, Mrs. Smart," the colonel calmly

said.

99 struggled as she watched Max being led to the

post.

The soldier put Max up against the post, then brought

his hands around, cuffing them behind him.

99, still struggling, kept yelling out Max's name.

The soldiers took their places 20 feet in front of Max

and stood at attention. The captain walked over and

pinned a small white cloth target over Max's heart. 

"Please call it off!! PLEASE, I'M BEGGING YOU!", 99

pleaded, as she struggled to free herself.

Captain Antoine looked up to the window and was given

a nod from the colonel.

"READY!", called out the captain. The soldiers' guns

swept upward.

99, seeing the soldiers in their ready position, had to act fast. She 

caught 

the soldier holding her off guard, and dropped him with

an elbow to the ribs. The colonel rushed toward her,

only to get kicked backward over his desk.

"AIM!", came the second command.

The bolts on the guns clacked back. Max closed his 

eyes, anticipating the next command.

Grabbing a chair, 99 flung it against the glass,

shattering it into pieces. 99 screamed out, "MAX!!!!"

Hearing the glass break and his name called out caused

Max to lean forward only to go so far because of his

restraint. Seeing 99 franticly reaching out to him

from the balcony, Max yelled back, "99!!!!"

"FIRE!!" 

The rifles crackled in unison as the volley of bullets

slammed into Max's chest, pushing him back against the

post. The impact took Max's breath away, wincing as a

blinding pain shot through his body. A wet crimson

color rapidly darkened the chest area of his white

shirt and a shroud of darkness surrounded him as he

began to lose consciousness, his body sliding slowly

down the post to the ground.

99 stood in shock as she saw Max lying on the ground.

"OH MY GOD, MAX... NO!!" She swung around to confront

Colonel Landau, but was quickly restrained by the

soldier.

"YOU MURDERER!", screamed 99.

Colonel Landau straightened his uniform, "I should

have you arrested for that outburst, but I want you out

of our country as soon as possible. You can send a

message back to your government that any further attempt to interfere

with our political situation here will result in the

same action, Agent 99."

99's eyes began to flood with tears. She stood

speechless, not knowing what to do.

The colonel addressed the soldier in the room,

"Private, you will accompany Mrs. Smart to the

infirmary, where she may claim her husband's body and

make arrangements to leave the country."

TO BE CONTINUED


End file.
